Vodcast

How Martin Mao Built a Startup from Zero to MILLION$

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with ...

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Martin Mao, co-founder and CEO of Chronosphere. From his early days at Uber to founding one of ...the most disruptive startups in observability, Martin shares what it takes to navigate uncertainty, build conviction, and win at scale.

We dive into the mindset shifts behind leaving a tech giant to build something bold, how Martin sees the future of observability, and what it means to lead with clarity in a rapidly evolving market. If you're a founder, engineer, or operator seeking real insights from a builder at the top, this one’s for you.

Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

Key Topics Covered
00:00 Intro
02:10 What Makes a Strong Founder
04:48 Why Martin Left Uber
09:22 Founding Chronosphere
13:41 Competing with Industry Giants
19:05 The Startup Learning Curve
26:38 Early GTM Decisions
33:20 Scaling with Intent
39:40 Balancing Vision and Feedback
46:14 Leadership Lessons in Hypergrowth
50:12 What’s Next for Chronosphere
52:49 Closing Reflections

3 Biggest Lessons

Leaving comfort for conviction: Martin’s leap from Uber shows that bold moves start with internal clarity, not external certainty.

Product-market fit is just the beginning: Real traction comes from execution, team culture, and continuous iteration.

Disruption requires ruthless focus: Be crystal clear on who you serve and why your product matters—then say no to everything else.

Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

Notable Quotes

“You don’t need to have all the answers before you start.”

“It’s not about being better—it’s about being different in a meaningful way.”

“Startups work when you're solving real pain, not just building cool tech.”

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Inside the Mind of a $4+ BILLION Sales Leader, w/ Brian McCarthy

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian ...

In this episode of the East Coast Elite series, we sit down with Brian McCarthy, President of Global Revenue and Field Operations at Rubrik.

With a remarkable track record scaling ...high-performing teams and navigating through IPOs, Brian shares the foundational principles that shaped his leadership—putting people first, leading with love, and building structures that drive consistent performance.

We explore how Brian transitioned from star seller to visionary leader, how he earned unshakeable team loyalty, and why systems like WANs can revolutionize your sales coaching. If you're serious about leading at scale with integrity, this is a must-watch.

Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

Key Topics Covered
00:00 – Intro & First Sales Job
04:20 – Choosing Leadership Over Sales
08:00 – WANs: Coaching with Metrics
12:10 – Building Loyalty Through Care
16:15 – Sales vs. Leadership Thinking
21:00 – IPO Learnings & Pressure
26:10 – Territory, Quota & Fairness
31:25 – Love-Driven Leadership
36:20 – Hiring for Intellect & Agility
42:05 – Structuring First-Line Teams
48:40 – Closing Advice & Reflections

3 Biggest Lessons

1. Real leadership is people-first – Helping someone grow, even if it means leaving your team, is true leadership.

2. Structure drives consistency – Weekly Activity Numbers (WANs) give both clarity and accountability to teams.

3. Love creates loyalty – When leaders genuinely will the best for their people, performance naturally follows.

Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro. If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

Notable Quotes

“If this is better for you and your family, leave. I will help you get promoted.”

“You either really care about people and their development, or you don’t.”

“Love is willing the best for others—and that’s how I lead.”

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Turning Dyslexia Into a Career Advantage

Sales SOS, Episode 2 - How to Hire A-Players

Sales SOS Episode 2 - How to Hire A-Players In this episode of Sales ...

SALES SOS, Episode 1 - Career Defining Moves

After 200+ episodes and thousands of hours with the world’s top SaaS ...

Turning Imposter Syndrome into Your Sales Advantage ft. Marina Ayton

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, Great Leaders UK, we sit down ...

In this episode of Hunters & Unicorns, Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Marina Ayton, co-author of The Female Sales Leader, to explore her remarkable journey from first-line to ...second-line leadership and back again.

Marina shares hard-won lessons on building and recruiting world-class teams, navigating rapid promotions, overcoming imposter syndrome, leveraging EQ alongside IQ, and championing diversity in sales.

Whether you’re an aspiring sales leader or a seasoned executive, Marina’s playbook offers actionable insights to elevate your career and drive lasting impact.

Thanks to Our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

Key Topics Covered
00:00 – Intro & Career Beginnings
01:30 – Transitioning from first line to Wiz
06:00 – Building the First Enterprise Team
12:00 – Transition to Major Deals Leadership
18:00 – Stepping into Second-Line Role
24:00 – Crafting Vision & Enabling Teams
30:00 – When to Step Back & Pivot
36:00 – Imposter Syndrome as Superpower
42:00 – EQ vs. IQ in Modern Sales
48:00 – Writing The Female Sales Leader
54:00 – Reflections & Future Outlook

3 Biggest Lessons

1. Embrace Humility & Listen First – Early listening builds credibility; understand before imposing change.

2. Leverage EQ to Drive Trust – Emotional intelligence is irreplaceable; it underpins long-term partnerships and diverse teams.

3. Purposeful Career Moves – Stepping back into roles refines understanding of where you add value at scale.

Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro.

If you enjoyed this deep dive, please like/share and subscribe to our channel!

Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

Notable Quotes
“Imposter syndrome can be a superpower if you let it drive you to earn your seat at the table.”
“Leaders must give teams the tools to imagine the art of the possible.”
“EQ is never replaceable by AI; it’s what builds genuine partnerships.”

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"Who does she think she is treating us like children?"

600% GROWTH in 12 Months: Alice Carlisle’s Wiz Success & Playbook

In this episode of Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Alice Carlisle, ...

In this episode of Great Leaders UK, we sit down with Alice Carlisle, VP UK&I at Wiz, to uncover how she rose from first-line leader to one of the most ...sought-after roles in the cybersecurity industry. From taking a struggling ZScaler team and transforming it in under three quarters, to embodying Wiz’s values of confidence and humility, Alice’s journey is proof that authenticity and unrelenting work ethic drive lasting impact.

She delves into the hard lessons of leading through fear-based tactics early in her career, learning the Force Management Playbook at AppDynamics, and then applying it to close LogicMonitor’s largest deal ever. Ultimately, we focus on how Alice builds culture—leading by example, caring genuinely for people, and creating internal champions—so that teams win together, not just as individuals.

Whether you’re scaling a hyper-growth sales org, building a new culture, or simply looking to be a better human in leadership, Alice’s playbook is packed with actionable insights on driving growth through customer success and winning with authenticity.

Thanks to our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

Key Topics Covered
00:00 – Intro
05:00 – Why Alice Was Chosen for Wiz
10:00 – Wiz Values: Humility & Authenticity
15:00 – Leadership Evolution: Leading Without Fear
20:00 – Early Work Ethic & Foundations
25:00 – Learning the Playbook at AppDynamics
30:00 – Applying Playbook at LogicMonitor
35:00 – Career Pivots & Decision to Join Zscaler
40:00 – Turning Around the Zscaler Team
45:00 – Building Culture & Final Reflections

3 Biggest Lessons

Authenticity Over Authority – Leading by fear alienates; leading by genuine care and humility builds lasting loyalty.

Learn & Apply Fast – When you join a Playbook organization, absorb everything like a sponge and execute immediately – that’s how you prove its value.

Culture Eats Strategy – Even in hyper-growth, small ritualistic acts (e.g., cleaning up after yourself) set the tone for accountability, trust, and team unity.

Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro

If you enjoyed this deep episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

Connect with Hunters & Unicorns
Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

Notable Quotes

“People see through it as much as you might think they don’t. You have to genuinely care.”

“Being right is not very valuable. It’s more important to be valuable than be right.”

“The most important thing for me is I genuinely give a shit about people more than anything.”

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It's OK to NOT Get Everything Right

It's OK to NOT Get Everything Right, with Natasha Evans

The BRUTAL Truth About Scaling Customer Success, w/ Natasha Evans

Today we’re joined by Natasha Evans, VP of Customer Growth at Hook. ...

Today we’re joined by Natasha Evans, VP of Customer Growth at Hook. Natasha shares the raw reality of going from chaos to clarity while building the customer success function inside ...a hypergrowth rocketship.

We dive deep into the strategic thinking and tough decisions that shaped her journey, from running toward the fire in Saleslofts' early days to scaling operations and rebuilding customer teams at Hook. Natasha unpacks what it really takes to align customer growth with revenue in today’s high-velocity SaaS environment.

If you're navigating messy growth, operational debt, or building CS from scratch, this conversation is packed with hard-earned insights.

Thanks to our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

Key Topics Covered
00:00 – Intro and background
03:43 – Natasha's evolving career
05:50 – Building with No Playbook
08:43 – When Your Org Chart Fails
12:41 – Driving Revenue from CS
16:00 – Rebuilding Customer Success at Hook
22:10 – Scaling Fast Without Losing Focus
27:45 – Coaching vs. Commanding
32:12 – Mistakes That Made Her Better
36:30 – What Growth Looks Like Now

3 Biggest Lessons

1. Running toward fire is how you earn your seat. The people who grow fast are the ones who face the hardest problems first.

2. Customer growth must be tied to revenue. Fluffy CS doesn’t survive—alignment with GTM is critical.

3. Rebuilding is part of scaling. You often have to break what you built to keep growing the right way.

Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro

If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

Notable Quotes

“Run towards the fire. The hardest problems are where growth comes from.”
“Customer success has to earn the right to be there. You tie it to revenue or it dies.”
“Sometimes you scale by breaking everything and starting over.”

#softwaresales #huntersandunicorns #playbookuniverseShow More

I Bet on Myself. Now I'm the COO.

Betting on YOURSELF at the right time

From MongoDB to Founder: How Deirdre Spillane bet on Herself

In this episode of The Playbook Universe, we sit down with Deirdre ...

In this episode of The Playbook Universe, we sit down with Deirdre Spillane, co-founder of SELR and former sales leader at MongoDB and Segment. She shares her incredible journey—from building ...high-performing teams in one of the most feared sales orgs in tech, to stepping into the unknown and launching her own company.

We dive into the power of coaching, the dangers of drowning in data, and why understanding the “why” behind people’s actions is everything. If you're in sales, leadership, or considering your next bold career move—this is your playbook.

Thanks to our Sponsors!
PG AI: https://www.getpg.ai
Selr: https://selr.ai

Key Topics Covered
00:00 - Intro
01:54 - From Oracle to MongoDB
04:01 - Learning from Carlos Delatorre
06:58 - ICP and Hard Lessons in Fit
08:44 - Coaching Is About Trust
11:14 - How to Truly Meet People Where They Are
13:19 - Building Intentional Sales Teams
15:01 - Diversity of Thought in Sales
17:38 - Data Overload in Sales Leadership
21:19 - Tracking the Right Metrics
24:10 - Aligning Personal Why with Business Goals
27:03 - Grit, Motivation & Early Indicators of Success
30:49 - What Selr Actually Does
34:42 - Founder Life vs Sales Leader Life
36:59 - Why Coaching Is Her Life's Work

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3 Biggest Lessons

1. Trust Before Tactics: Effective coaching doesn't begin with playbooks—it starts by understanding and trusting your people.

2. Data Isn’t Insight: Sales orgs today are flooded with metrics, but the true game-changers are conversion points and coaching conversations.

3. Your 'Why' Is the Multiplier: Aligning your personal drive with business objectives creates clarity, resilience, and momentum.

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Thanks for listening!
This episode was hosted by Simon Kouttis and Ollie Kuehne, founders of Hunters & Unicorns, and post-produced by the team at videoforce.pro
If you enjoyed this episode, please drop a like/share and subscribe to our channel!

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Connect with Hunters & Unicorns

Website: http://huntersandunicorns.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/HuntersUn1corns
Instagram: http://instagram.com/huntersandunicorns
Blog: http://huntersandunicorns.com/blog

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Borrow these quotes from Deirdre!

“Once you get this opportunity, you take it with both hands… and you leave nothing on the field.”
“You’ve got to meet people where they are—that’s where the trust builds.”
“We don't lack data—we lack the right coaching to make sense of it.”
“Being gritty is more important than being gifted.”

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How Martin Mao Built a Startup from Zero to MILLION$

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